Zither-action.



R. F. LINDENMUTH, ZITHER ACTION; APPLICATION FILED JULY 29.1916. 1,237,918. Patented Aug.'21, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

(D (ID B F. Lmdenmuih w vfncws RIF. LINDENMUTH.

APPLICATiON FILED JULY 29,1916

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

K E LmdenmuZ-h,

R. F. LINDENMUTH. ZITHER ACTION;

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, me

15237318., Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- R. F. Lindenmulh.

PATENT RAYMOND F. LINDENMUTH, OF DANIELSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ZITI-IER-ACTION.

Application filcdluly 29, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND F. LIN- DENMUTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danielsville, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Zither-Actions; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in zithers and particularly to a portable instrument having a plurality of keys by'Which the notes are struck.

Another object of the invention is to provide apiano. like instrument which .is adapted to be constructed of .a suitable material and is so arranged that it may be easily transported and in which the music produced will resembleto a great extent that produced by a'harp. I

,A still further object-of the invention is to provide a device which is separated into two separate sections hereinafter to be known as treble and bass sections of the device, in which the treble and bass strings are respectively mounted.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a novel picking means for the strings which is actuated by a downward pressure on the keys.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will be fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a musical instrument constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device, illustrating in detail the picker mechanism of thetrebl'e section.

. Fig. '8 'is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the picker mechanism of the bass section showing'a portion of the cover-plate or hood broken away to more clearly illustrate the details of construction.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the device taken on line 1 l of Fig. 1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21,1917.

Serial No. 112,052.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 taken on line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View taken longitudinally through the device and illustrating the details of the picker mechanism.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view and longitudinal section of one of the picker mechanism actuating members.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the keys illustrating the actuating mem ber attached thereto.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the means for mounting the picker shafts in place, and

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the latch member used in connection with the picker mechanism operating members.

Referring now to the drawings the numeral 1 designates as an entirety the frame of the device consisting of the end bars 2 and 3, the forward ends of the side bars 2 and 3 being connected by a plate 4: while the rear end of the bar 2 has extending at right angles therefrom and in parallel relation with the plate l a bar 5 which is provided at its end with the angularly extending bar 6, the opposite terminal of which is connected to the end bar 3. It will thus be seen that the inclination of the bar 6 will allow the length of the strings to vary while the strings which are connected to the bar 5 are of a uniform length. Attached to the end bars 2 and 3 near their forward edges but spaced inwardly a short distance there from is the cover-plate or hood designated by the numeral 7 which consists of a transversely curved sheet metal hood provided with suitable straps 8 which are attached to the bars and this hood forms a cover for the picker mechanism and forward ends of the strings. The bars 5 and 6 are provided with a plurality of pegs 9 which are adapted to support the strings on the device as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A suitable intermediate dividing bar 10 is attached to the device be tween the end bars 2 and 3 and connects the end of the rear bar 5 with the plate 4. as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A back board 11 is attached to the under side of the frame while a face board 12 is attached to the upper side of the frame and this face board is pro vided with a pair of openings 18 and 14 which are arranged respectively in the bass and treble sections of the device. The transversely extending bar 10 forms a division between the base and treble sections.

Extending longitudinally through the frame and located in a plane below the forward edge of the hood 7 is a rod 15 on which the keys 16 are pivotally mounted. These keys are provided with the rearwardly extending arms 17 which are provided with the offset extensions 18 which are preferably hollow as illustrated in Fig. 7 to receive the shanks 19 of the latches designated by the numeral 20. A suitable compression coil. spring 21 is positioned in the rear. of each of the shanks 19 and normally urges the latch outwardly. In order to limit the outward movement of the latch a suitable stop pin 22 is attached to each shank and projects through a slot 23 in each offset ex tension 18 hereinbefore described. The latch members 20 are adapted to engage the picker hubs which will be more fully hereinafter described.

Extending longitudinally through ,the frame and in a plane with the rear edge of the hood 7 is a set of bars 24 and 25 which are arranged one above the other and have their meeting faces provided with a plurality of registering transversely extending grooves 26 which form journal bearings for the shaft 27 on which the picker hubs 28 are mounted, A similar set of bars is positioned beneath the hood 7 in spaced parallel relation to the first mentioned set and cotiperates therewith in rotatably supporting the picker hubs which will be more fully hereinafter described. These picker hubs are provided with a plurality of radially extending picker fingers 29 and the forward ends of the hubs are provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth 30 which are adapted to be engaged by the latches or pawls 20 so that upon downward pressure on the keys the picker hubs will be rotated thereby causing the picker fingers thereon to engage the string beneath which the device is mounted. It will be seen upon reference to Fig. 6 that the structure illustrated will rotate the picker hubs in a counter-clockwise direction and this is the mechanism used for picking the treble strings.

Passing now to the description of the picking mechanism for the bass strings reference will be had particularly to Figs 3 and 5 in which the numeral 31 designates the bass keys each of which is provided with an inwardly extending arm 32. These keys 31 are pivoted on the rod 15 hereinbefore described so that when pressure is applied to the outer ends of the keys the arms 32 will move upwardly. As illustrated in Fig. 5 the arms 32 are offset upwardly and have pivotally connected thereto as at 33 the rocker bars 34 which are pivotally mounted on suitable brackets 35. It will thus be seen that when pressure is applied to the outer ends of the keys the extreme inner ends of the rocker bars 34 will move downwardly. Each rocker bar is provided at its extreme inner end with a rearwardly extending arm 30 which is provided with the hollowed portions 37 in which is slidably mounted a latch 38 which is adapted to engage its respective picker hub as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The picker hubs of the bass side of the device are designated by the numeral 39 and each is formed on its outer face with a plurality of shoulders 40 which are adapted to be engaged by. the latch 38 and mounted on and extending radially from the picker hubs are the picker fingers 41 which are arranged to engage all four strings of the device. The picker hubs 39 are mounted in a manner similar to the hubs 28 but as shown in Fig. 5 rotate in a direction opposite thereto.

In order to return the keys 16 and 31 to their original positions after having been depressed suitable compression coil spr' 42 are attached to a strip 43 extending longitudinally of the device at a point intermediate the ends of the keys and the upper ends of these springs extend into relatively shallow bores 44 arranged in the under sides of the keys. It will thus be seen that upon downward pressure being applied to the keys the springs will be compressed and when the pressure is released from the upper sides of the keys the spring will return the same to their original positions. In order to complete the keyboard of the device a suitable filler block 45 is attached to the keyboard intermediate the end bar 2 and the end key on the bass side.

To provide a damper to prevent the strings from vibrating after the key has returned to original position a suitable sleeve 46 is attached to the rearwardly extending arm 36 of each of the rocker bars 34 and is provided with the upstanding stem 47 having at its upper terminal a pad 48 for engaging the strings. It will thus be seen that upon downward pressure being applied to the key the pad will be removed from engagement with the string at the same time that the picker finger engages the same and thus the string will be free to vibrate.

It will be apparent from the foregoin that in use the device is played as an ordinary piano and is yet light and may be easily transported by grasping the handle 49 attached to the bar 5. It will be a parent that when pressure is applied to e keys the pickers will be operated to en and vibrate the strings and when the as keys are played it will be apparent that by a 10 back boards secured to the frame, keys rockably mounted at the forward edge of the frame, strings extending transversely of the frame, a key being provided for each string, picker hubs rotatably mounted beneath the strings, picker fingers mounted on the hubs for engaging and picking the strings, ratchet teeth on the forward faces of the hubs, offset arms carried by the keys and latches mounted at the inner ends of said arms for engaging the ratchet teeth to cause the picker hubs to rotate when the keys are depressed, and springs mounted beneath the keys to force the same to original position.

mounted near the forward edge of said frame and beneath the strings, shafts journaled in said bars, hubs mounted on said shafts between the bars, picker fingers carried by said hubs and adapted to engage the strings when the hubs are rotated, keys pivoted near the forward edge of the frame, latches at the rear ends of the keys, teeth formed on the forward ends of the picker hubs and adapted to be engaged by the latches so that when said keys are depressed the picker hubs will be rotated and dampers located to engage the strings when the keys are at rest and to disengage said strings when the keys are depressed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RAYMOND F. LINDENMUTH.

WVitnesses:

RICHARD G. JoNEs, STANLEY R. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

